1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the continuous feeding of fiber materials, such as seed cotton, to fiber processing apparatus, such as a cotton gin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Normally, cotton is picked by a mechanical harvester and collected in a large basket or bin on the harvester. When the basket is full, it is dumped into a wagon for transportation to a cotton gin. Since cotton is transported to the gin soon after being picked, the gins are operated at full capacity during the harvesting season. Accordingly, the gin is comparatively idle between ginning seasons.
The use of mechanical harvesters has decreased harvest season length and increased the rate of seed cotton flowing to the gin. This increased flow of seed cotton to the gin has required higher capacity, more efficient ginning operations.
High capacity cotton gins present a difficult problem in obtaining an economical seed cotton unloading system. In an article by Oliver M. McCaskill and Eugene G. Columbus entitled "Mechanical Seed Cotton Unloading System," June 1968, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, ARS, 42-144, several experimental gin feeding systems are disclosed which provide improved seed cotton feed rate. Generally, the authors describe a feeding system in which specially designed side dump trailers are loaded with seed cotton in the field. The side dump trailers empty into a hopper which is sized in accordance with the dimensions of the dump trailer. Cotton is conveyed from the hopper to breaker cylinders where it is fed to subsequent processing apparatus. One particular problem of these experimental systems discussed by McCaskill et al is that of an uneven feed rate of cotton from the hopper. The McCaskill et al article also summarizes many problems with prior art feeding devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,003, issued to Lambert H. Wilkes and Joseph K. Jones on July 31, 1973, discloses a mechanized seed cotton handling apparatus wherein seed cotton from mechanical harvesters is compacted onto a pallet. The pallet, with its compacted seed cotton, may be transported by conventional trucks to the cotton gin. In addition to reduced storage space required by compressed cotton, the pallet system makes possible high density feeding for cotton gins. Gin feeding systems, however, have not been designed to accommodate high density feeding made possible by the pallet system. Accordingly, the pallets have generally been unloaded by workmen manhandling the conventional suction pipe used to feed cotton gins.
The invention discloses an efficient, relatively inexpensive apparatus for supplying fibers to fiber processing apparatus, especially seed cotton to cotton gins. Seed cotton, or the like, arrives at the gin on pallets which may be covered, for example, with tarpaulins and then stored for later use to effectively stretch out the high volume ginning season. Alternately, the seed cotton may be promptly fed to the gin and the inexpensive pallets returned to the field for reuse.